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When reading about early Zionism, we read mostly about men. But women were involved in Zionism from the beginning. One of them was Hulda Zlocisti, née Thomaschewsky who lived from 1869 to 1941. Not only was she among the first German Zionists, she also attended the First Zionist Congress and, above all, was the first German Zionist who actually immigrated to Palestine in 1904.
Hulda was married to the prominent Zionist Theodor Zlocisti (1874-1943). Like his wife he had been involved in Zionism already before Theodor Herzl. Even if there is no biography on him yet, he appears in almost every book on German Zionism at one or another point. In contrast, Hulda is rarely mentioned and only Ines Sonder is writing about her.[1]
As far as we know, Hulda was born in a large but poor Jewish family in Braunsberg (Braniewo) in former East-Prussia. Some biographical detail can be reconstructed thanks to Hulda’s niece Hannah Jeremias-Trietsch who wrote in 1999 an autobiographical note about the family history. Hulda Thomaschewsky had 14 siblings. All were from the same father, but from different mothers, as Hulda’s mother died early and the father then married his sister in law.[2] Somewhen in the 1880s the family migrated to Berlin. Back then, the city was a booming metropolis with thousands of new inhabitants, especially from the eastern German provinces. Like many others, the Thomaschewskys came to Berlin in search of a better life.
First World Zionist Congress delegates, at the bottom right: Hulda. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:First_World_Zionist_Congress_delegates.jpg
Hulda and early Zionism
Perhaps in the early 1890’s Hulda and her two younger sisters Emma and Johanna got in contact with Zionism when they encountered a small student group of Jewish nationalists, called Jung Israel. These early Zionists organized Maccabee celebrations or talks on Jewish history and published a journal named Zion. Even though Jung Israel defined itself as a male group, Hulda and her sisters regularly attended the group meetings and belonged to the inner circle of those Berlin Zionists. On these occasions Hulda got to know her future husband, who became a member of Jung Israel in 1892. Back then Theodor studied medicine at the Friedrich-Wilhelm-University and Hulda already worked as a secretary.
In 1897, the couple attended the First Zionist Congress. It was the second time that Hulda appeared in public as a Zionist. Shortly before the congress, she wrote an article connecting Zionism and women's movement, claiming that a Jewish national movement must recognize women as equal members, since only independent mothers can educate their children as proud Jews.[3] A letter to Max Bodenheimer, the leader of German Zionism also shows Hulda’s enthusiasm for the Zionist movement as early as in August 1897:
I already hold a membership card for the general Zionist Congress and I believe to be every bit as Zionist as other members. I had the opportunity to become an enthusiastic supporter through our monthly journals ‚Zion‘ and ‚Die Welt‘ and by participating in the general development of Zionism. Especially by regularly attending all meetings in Berlin (of the Jung Israel society etc).[4]
At the congress, Hulda was one of several women. They attended as “honorable guests” without vote.
Emigration to Palestine
The congress should remain the last appearance of Hulda in Zionist public for more than a decade. In 1898 her whole life changed suddenly when she got pregnant. Hulda and Theodor decided to keep the pregnancy secret as long as possible. Meanwhile, Theodor transferred to Freiburg, a little town in southern Germany. Not far from there, Hulda gave birth to her daughter Mirjam. Staying in the South was however not an option due to their precarious financial situation. So Hulda returned to Berlin, hoping to find work there. Two years passed until Theodor followed. Three to four years later, he settled down as a successful physician. In the meantime, Hulda and Theodor were still a couple but not married.
At the turn of the century, both Hulda and Theodor exchanged letters with David Wolffsohn. One topic they discussed was the future emigration of Hulda. Already in 1902, Hulda had decided to go to Palestine. To Wolffsohn she wrote:
I hereby would like to apply for a position at the bank in Jaffa, which is to be founded in the near future. […] Let me explain, what is driving me to ask for this particular job. Working in our beloved homeland has been my heart's desire for a long time now – already at the First Congress, I negotiated with Mr. G. Lowié from Pinsk about becoming an employee in a factory, which he was planing to found in Palestine.[5]
This was an extraordinary decision. Palestine was hardly a realistic choice for the majority of German Zionists. At this point and even for years to come, emigration to an unknown future in the Near East, leaving behind a secure existence in Germany, seemed not to be a viable option. Unfortunately, the sources dealing with Hulda’s motivation to emigrate are scarce. She was however very much aware of the difficult circumstances awaiting her. In another letter to Wolffsohn she declared:
In my previous life I encountered so many difficulties while struggling for existence and I acquired such physical as well as psychical tenacity and elasticity in fighting for progress since my 16th birthday that I am sure to be useful and successful, even under completely new circumstances. Especially as a deep love for the old country and activity for my people would increase my strength. I would therefore ask you kindly to keep your goodwill towards me and bring me closer to the desired goal by further recommendation.[6]
She found only little favor for her plans. This included Theodor, who made no secret of his disapproval. She, never the less, followed through with it. In 1903 the Anglo-Palestine Bank opened their first branch in Palestine. Wolffsohn remembered Hulda and wrote to the new director Zalman David Levontin, that she would make a “good officer“, because “she comes from a good family, is very competent and an excellent Zionist”.[7] And indeed, Hulda was hired as a secretary for the Anglo-Palestine Bank in Jaffa. In early 1904 she and her daughter Mirjam left Berlin.
Unfortunately, I found only few sources about her time in Jaffa. What is known is that she and her daughter lived in the German Colony. This was a neighborhood inhabited by Templers and Protestant Germans. In her work with the Palestine Bank, she must have been involved in different Zionist matters concerning the development of Jewish settlements in Palestine. Besides that, the life for Mirjam and Hulda must have been difficult. Especially Mirjam had trouble with her health. For this reason, Hulda considered returning to Germany as early as late 1904. Hulda’s sister Emma and her future husband Davis Trietsch encouraged her to stay. Both also thought about joining her. In the end, they emigrated in 1906, but Hulda had already returned to Germany earlier the same year.
Gender roles and wartimes
Back in Berlin, Hulda married Theodor. Since then she was known as Mrs. Dr. Zlocisti. In Berlin she probably attended Zionist meetings or joined the coffeehouse tables frequented by Zionists, but her name still was barely mentioned in Zionist public. This situation changed with the First World War. For the first time Hulda played a significant and official role in the Zionist Party. Already in the first year of the war, Hulda was elected as chairwoman of the Working Committee of the Berlin Zionist Organization (Arbeitscomité der Berliner Zionistischen Vereinigung). This union of women tried to enforce female participation in the Zionist party. At the same time, she became a member of the executive committee of the Ifftus (Jewish Women‘s Union for Gymnastics and Sport). She also worked as a secretary for Martin Buber's journal Der Jude. During the First World War, she wrote a number of articles for the Jüdische Rundschau, one of the most important Zionist newspapers of her time. Hulda also led the Aid Commitee of the Zionist Federation of Germany (Hilfskomitee der Zionistischen Vereinigung für Deutschland) and attended the congress of German Zionists (Delegiertentag) as an official delegate from Berlin. It was no coincidence that Hulda found recognition in the Zionist movement during the war since a large number of men were at the front lines. In an article for the Jüdische Rundschau from 1915, Hulda therefore invited Zionist women, to engage in their local groups while men were absent.[8]
Even after the First World War, Hulda remained in a prominent position. In 1919 she became the head of the Jewish-National Women’s Union (Jüdisch-Nationale Frauenvereinigung) and in the same year was elected as a treasurer of the Zionist Federation of Germany. All these activities ended with her second – and this time final – emigration. At the end of 1920, she decided to take the plunge again, and moved to Palestine with her husband and daughter. They settled down in Tel Aviv and later in Haifa. Till today little is known about the role women played as political leaders in Zionism but Hulda Zlocisti’s story should remind us of their importance.
[1]Ines Sonder: „Das wollten wir. Ein neues Land …“ Deutsche Zionistinnen als Pionierinnen in Palästina, 1897–1933, in: Medaon 14 (2014), p. 1– 14, http://www.medaon.de/pdf/MEDAON_14_Sonder.pdf [08.11.2016].
[2]Hannah Jeremias: Urgrossmutter Hannah Jeremias-Trietsch erzaehlt ihre Geschichte fuer ihren Nachwuchs und fuer alle, die mit ihr ein Stueck Leben gelebt haben, LBI Archives ME 1298.
[3]Hulda Thomaschewsky: Wie soll der Zionismus zur Frauenfrage Stellung nehmen?, in: Zion 7/8 (1897), p. 225–237.
[4]Ich besitze bereits eine Mitgliedskarte zum allgemeinen Zionistenkongresse und glaube an zionistischer Gesinnung anderen Mitgliedern durchaus nicht nachzustehen, nachdem ich Gelegenheit hatte, dieselbe in unserer Monatsschrift ‚Zion‘ in ‚der Welt‘ und in der allgemeinen Teilnahme an der Entwicklung der zionistischen Partei, speciell in regelmäßigen Besuch aller Berliner Sitzungen (des Vereins Jung Israel etc.) gründlich kennen zu lernen und deren begeisterte Anhängerin zu werden. Hulda Thomaschewsky to Max Bodenheimer, Berlin 15.08.1897, CZA A15/266-74.
[5]Ich möchte mich hiermit um eine Anstellung an der demnächst zu begründenden Bank-Fiale in Jaffa bewerben. [...] Was mich nun dazu bestimmt, gerade nach dieser Position zu streben, darf ich wohl noch kurz erläutern. Mein Herzenswunsch ist es schon sehr lange, mich in unserem geliebten Heimatlande zu betätigen – schon auf dem ersten Kongreß verhandelte ich mit Herrn G. Lowié aus Pinsk wegen einer Anstellung bei einem in Palästina von ihm zu begründenden Fabrik. Hulda Thomaschewsky to David Wolffsohn, Berlin 02.12.1902, CZA W1/613-20.
[6]Ich bin großen Schwierigkeiten im Kampfe ums Dasein in meinem bisherigen Leben so zahlreich gegenüber getreten und habe in hartnäckigen Ringen an mein Fortkommen seit meinem 16. Lebensjahre mir eine solche Zähigkeit und Elastizität in physischer, wie seelischer Beziehung erworben, daß ich wohl mit Sicherheit auch unter ganz neuen Verhältnissen mir einen Wirkungskreis schaffen und mich nützlich und erfolgreich betätigen würde, zumal eine innige Liebe zu dem alten Lande und eine Tätigkeit für mein Volk meine Spannkraft nur erhöhen würde. Ich darf Sie also wohl recht sehr bitten, mir Ihr geschätztes Wohlwollen auch ferner freundlichst zu bewehren und mich durch weitere gütige Empfehlung dem ersehnten Ziel näher zu bringen. Hulda Thomaschewsky to David Wolffsohn, Berlin 13.12.1902, CZA W1/613-19.
[7]Hulda Thomaschewsky to Zalman David Levontin, [unb.] 20.3.1904, CZA W1/507-3.
[8]Hulda Zlocisti: An die zionistischen Frauen, in: Die Jüdische Rundschau 37 (1915), p. 299.
Albrecht Spranger is currently working on his dissertation at the Department for 19th Century European History at Humboldt-University Berlin